Wow Thanks for all the reviews! They are very helpful, full responses will be at the end of the chapter! Here is Chapter one!
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"Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow
it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him."
-Henry Miller, The Wisdom of the Heart
The underground halls of King Thranduil are known for their seemingly infinite lengths and depths. It seems a strange thing that a culture so intertwined with the surrounding forest that its royalty found the need to delve down into the earth. Yet when one walks through these ostensibly endless halls they would find it easy to forget they are beneath the surface. An ethereal light floods the halls giving them the appearance of an outdoor walkway, a feature that the prince of Mirkwood had always relished in. His hate for caves and mines had been no secret, which is why many of his closest friends found his comfort in the underground halls so ironic. Yet he found himself truly feeling at home for the first time since perhaps when the fellowship had taken sanctuary in Lorien nearly a year prior.
As always the soft glow of the halls reflected off the elf's skin as he made his way quickly through the labyrinth. Thousands of years of living in these halls had etched a map in his mind making his trip all the more quicker as he pushed the large double doors open entering the large hall of his father. Whatever conversations had been going on before his rather coarse entrance were now silenced as all eyes moved to the entryway. The silence was broken by the soft creaking of the giant, wooden throne and the soft swish of fabric as Thranduil stood, his eyes locked with his son's.
"I was not informed of your arrival," Thranduil's voice was filled with quiet constraint as his eyes quickly assessed his heir.
"I ordered a silent coming, my lord."
Thranduil lifted one slender eyebrow before beginning his decent down the few steps before him. His footfalls were light and the only sound heard was the soft rustling of his royal robes. The tension in the room was almost unbearable as all other occupants shifted their eyes nervously between father and son. It was a well known fact throughout the woodlands of Mirkwood that its only prince had left on the quest of the ring without his father's permission, leaving a heavy strain on the already stretched relationship between Mirkwood's royals. The consecutive breath of the hall was held as the king stood before his son who adjusted his shoulders lifting his jaw in an almost defiant stance. The king's eyes flicked down momentarily before once again resting in a hard gaze on his son's own.
"I see you have returned unscathed from your quest," the last word was almost spit out as Thranduil moved his head slightly raising his already tall stature. For the prince's credit he did not flinch nor cower, as many would have before the mighty elven ruler, he only stood his expression unchanging.
"I only wish I could say the same for some of my companions, yet the quest was successful and I am proud to have fulfilled a part of it," he seemed to pause in thought before continuing, "and now I have returned, if only for a short while before I plan to depart once again."
"Depart?"
"Yes, I plan to travel Middle Earth with a companion, journey to several locations in which we hope to further explore…" he let the words drift off into the air waiting for his father's response. When it came it was one he expected yet the motive behind it completely caught him off guard.
"I'm sorry Legolas but your departure must be postponed…indefinitely, you are needed here. A strange shadow has moved into Mirkwood since your departure, you will be needed to help your people rid the land of this gloom." With this said the king turned and walked back towards his throne to continue his previous business. Legolas felt his temper rise as he watched his father walk away, how dare he be so thoughtlessly swept aside. He paused taking a moment to contain his anger he walked after his father having every intent of enforcing his final decision of departure. However upon reaching the table where his father stood with several members of Mirkwood's council he stopped and took in the expression upon the elves' faces. He had never seen any of these elves, and some he had known many years, with such grim looks as they mulled over the maps, dotted with black marks, before them. With a slight adjustment of his shoulders Legolas set his jaw and moved beside his father.
"What is the state of affairs for Mirkwood at this time, I must know exactly what I am dealing with."
~~*~~*~~*~~
How had he not noticed the change, how could he have possibly overlooked the ever present darkness that now clung to birch and bow of every tree? His father had been right to worry for Mirkwood had fallen into a dark shadow, one that was reminiscent of the days that the necromancer occupied Dol Guldur. Legolas turned his head as an elf from his party, a scout, emerged from the underbrush and approached the rest of the camp. He heard his father make his way through the campsite, the soft swish of fabric from his royal drape revealing it to be him, as Legolas intercepted the scout.
"My Lords, there are a band of orcs several hundred yards to the south, yet it is strange, I found signs of a spider cluster near the same area but there were no orc corpses about nor any signs of struggle…"
"I That truly is strange, surely the orcs would not escaped an encounter with the spiders so near one another, so the question is why would the spiders choose to overlook this band of orcs, what of the spiders Avornodhel could you tell their numbers and their kind, " asked Thranduil who settled himself beside his son.
"They are of Mirkwood my Lord, they bare no irregularities as such, but their number is quite large as far as I can tell, and mind you I am only a fair tracker, but there appears to be nearly four dozen." The King's face remained passive yet Legolas noted the slight tension in his Father's jaw and the quick flicker of his eyes. Thranduil turned from the scout and hurried back towards his tent, a soft trail of forest floor following his flowing drape. Legolas sighed and turned back towards the elf before him and smiled clapping his hand on the elf's shoulder.
"Well Avornodhel, let us get you some water," Legolas led the elf into the heart of the camp while Avornodhel filled him in on the less than eventful scouting mission.
"I must say my Lord…"
"Please Avornodhel, I have known you since we were mere novices, I believe we can drop the titles," interrupted Legolas as he shook his head. Avornodhel paused then smiled and sipped on the canteen of water in his hand.
"As I was saying, Legolas, It does weigh upon my mind and heart to see such strange occurrences as I have this day." Legolas' face became somber and he nodded as he looked down at his feet for a moment.
"I must agree with you Avornodhel, it leaves my heart heavy to think that we should be in such a dark situation as this, I thought the shadows were finally leaving this land," he paused and lifted his eyes and squinted as a small stream of sunlight filter through the heavy canopy hitting him in the eyes causing a sharp glare. Legolas sighed and looked down letting the small patch of light radiate a golden hallow about his fair head. His silver ringlet that set upon his head twinkled and let his royal stature be known for all to see. His father had long since required it to be upon his head at all times when still remaining inside the borders of the Mirkwood realm. To say the thing was an annoyance to the young elven prince would be a grand understatement; it brought him unwanted attention by both elves and occasionally, enemies. A sudden motion to his right caused the elven prince to stand quickly as another of the parties scouts came running into the center of the camp. Her light brown hair was matted to her head and the left side of her face was smeared with blood, orc blood.
Legolas felt his muscles tense as the scout caught her breath before letting out a call, warning all the camp and setting it into a frenzy of motion.
"YRCHS!"(1) As the word passed her lips the sound of snarls and clashing metal filled the ears of all the camp and Legolas felt his heart jump into his throat.
"INTO THE TREES! INTO THE TREES!" Legolas turned and watched as all the camp followed the order given from his father and disappeared into the green canopy.
Avornodhel was already in the branches when Legolas reached it and both elves lay in waiting as the crashing of the orcs grew louder and louder. Then, as suddenly as it started, the sounds stop and the forest went into an eerie silence. Legolas glanced at Avornodhel who returned the weary stare with one of his own. Forever it seemed they waited there within the sanctity of the trees, no noise penetrating the calm of the woods until a horrifying scream resonated through the air.
"SPIDERS, ORCS UPON SPIDERS, LEAVE THE TREES!!!!" Even as the call went out Legolas heard a slight rustling in the leaves above him. He glanced upwards in time to see a large spider begin its decent upon him. Legolas let out a cry of surprise and jerked to his left nearly losing his balance and plummeting to the ground below.
"Legolas!" Avornodhel's cry alerted him to the second spider making its way towards him, a foul looking orc taking mastery upon its back. Legolas felt his heart freeze, 'orcs upon spiders as if the were mere wargs, how can this be?' His thoughts were interrupted when the first spider lunged forcing Legolas to spin to another branch. 'I must not ponder such things now, I must get out of the trees or I won't be able to ponder it later,' he glanced about him searching for a clean break in the branches and finally finding one he cautiously, but quickly, leapt to the forest floor. His golden hair whipped around him as he searched the campsite, which now was a bloody battlefield, for his father while slashing through whatever fell beast that got in his way.
"ADAR, MANKE NAA LLE, ADAR?!"(2) Legolas listened for his father's voice to reach him but he was met with only screams, the anger clash of meddle, and the soft vibrations of elven bows. He threw his knife into the gut of an oncoming orc ad felt his stomach turn as black blood flew from the creatures mouth and splattered across his face. "Aiya,"(3) he whispered through clenched teeth as he wiped the black ooze from his face, then freeing his knife from the creature's torso.
"ADAR!"
"UTINU, LEGOLAS, AMIN SINOME!"(4)
"Manke, Adar!"(5) Legolas dashed through the battlefield following where he had heard his father's voice. An elf fell before him and she screamed as she pressed her hand against her stomach, red blood seeping between her fingers. Legolas dealt with the orc that had felled the elf before him and knelt by her looking over the wound. It was deep and the blood was seeping out in great amounts, there was no saving her. He gently took her head in his hands and whispered softly to her while keeping his eyes about the field, ever watchful for an approaching enemy or his father. Suddenly he felt the elf's body tense in his arms and then go slack, he took a moment to look down and close her eyes before darting off into the fray once more. It was the faint twinkle that caught Legolas' attention and he turned his head and caught sight of the small flash of light again. His father's crown, now smeared with blood both elven and orc, sparkled as the sun hit it at the right angle as the king thrust his sword into the abdomen of an oncoming spider. Legolas felt himself let out a quick breath of relief as he worked his way to his father.
"Adar! Amin Sinome,"(6) the king turned to the sound of his son's voice and his face lightened with relief.
"Legolas, Khila amin,"(7) Legolas nodded and followed the king as he plowed through the endless hordes of dark creatures.
"There are so many," said Legolas slipping into the common tongue. Thranduil looked back at his son and nodded his face stern and etched with worry as he maneuvered through the field.
"Ta nae neuma!"(8) Announced Legolas' father causing the prince to falter.
"Neuma, but how?" The idea that these foul creatures were capable of even organizing a proper attack let alone a trap without the proper leadership astounded the elf. Legolas looked around the field and felt his hurt flutter when he realized that their attackers were dwindling and beginning to pull back.
"Adar, Look," Legolas let a relieved smile fill his blood stained face and he turned to tell his father. Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion, and would forever be etched in the mind and haunt the nightmares of the elven prince.
As Legolas turned towards his father his smile slipped from his face and a look of horror fell over his face. His Father turned towards him a questioning look on his face and Legolas watched as a spider mounted orc moved forward quicker than he could imagine.
"ADAR, TIRA TEN' RASHWE!"(9) Legolas wanted to spring forward but his legs were paralyzed and he watched in horrified fascination as his father turned just in time to see the orc blade rip into his gut. The sickening warmth of elven blood splashed against Legolas' face shaking off whatever trance of fear had come upon him and he ran forward reaching for his father. A sickening suction sound reached his ears, as the blade was pulled free from his father then once again unceremoniously rammed back into him, this time higher, and the chilling sound of metal scraping bone filled the air. With a cry of rage Legolas grabbed his father's sword that had fallen from the King's limp hand and with one large swing struck the neck of the orc severing its head from its body. The shock from the blow of Legolas' sword caused the blade to be roughly ripped from the King's chest and without the dark weapon keeping him upright Thranduil's legs buckled and he began to sink to the forest floor. With his enemy dispatched Legolas turned in time to catch his father before he crumpled to the ground. Thranduil wheezed, a slight gurgle sounding from his throat every time he breathed, and grabbed onto his sons tunic, his bloody hands wringing it as he struggled to breath.
"Adar, tessa no',"(10) Legolas' voice hitched in his throat as a sob rose from his chest. His father's eyes were wide and filled with pain, confusion, and fear, his mouth began to move as he fought to speak, a small line of blood forming from its corner.
"Dina, Adar, Dina,"(11) Legolas placed a hand over his father's chest wound and nearly vomited as he felt the warm liquid squeeze between his fingers. His father placed a shaky hand onto his own causing Legolas to look down at their hands then back to his father's eyes.
"Amin …merna …quen, Legolas,"(12) his voice was wet and soft, filled with wheezes and gasps as pain lanced through his entire being. Legolas pressed his lips together and blinked away the tears that were impairing his vision, nodding his head listening to every word his father managed.
"Vara…lye…eska…"(13) His breathing hitched and his eyes began to dull and soon seizures began to rack his body. Legolas let out a wail of fear as his father's body jerked in his grasp and he looked around and watched as the enemy fled into the woods and the elven warriors begin to take notice of their royal family for the first time.
"TUA, TUA AMIN, ADAR,"(14) Legolas began to scream, but nobody came close, many frozen where they stood watching in silent horror as their prince cradled their dying king. To Legolas' dismay his father went very stiff then with a small sigh went slack in his son's arms his eyes slipping closed, veiling the clear blue pools from the world forever.
"Namaarie, Adar, Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta,"(15) the strain of his heart filtered into his voice and he let out a sob that seemed, to those who witnessed it, to quake his very soul as he leaned over his father holding him to his breast tears filing down his cheeks in rabid succession. The other elves lowered their eyes and some slumped to the ground, the adrenaline rush from the battle leaving their bodies, and trembled with silent sobs at the loss of their king. And that is how the company remained for what seemed like hours, till the sun had set and the stars filled the sky, lighting the grieving campsite, all seemed lost.
Elvish Translations(1) yrchs ~ Orcs
(2) Adar, manke naa lle, adar ~ Father, where are you, father
(3) Aiya ~ Oh!
(4) Untinu, Legolas, amin sinome ~ Son, Legolas, I am here
(5) Manke, Adar ~ Where, Father
(6) Adar! Amin Sinome ~ Father, I am here
(7) Legolas, Khila amin ~ Legolas, follow me
(8) Ta nae neuma ~ It was a trap
(9) Adar, tira ten' rashwe ~ Father, Look out
(10) Adar, tessa no' ~ Father, Hold on
(11) Dina, Adar, Dina ~ Be silent, Father, be silent
(12) Amin merna quen, Legolas ~ I wish to speak, Legolas
(13) Vara lye eska ~ Save our home (This is a very rough translation)
(14) Tua, tua amin, Adar ~ Help, Help me, Father
(15) Namaarie, Adar, Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta ~ Farewell, Father, May your ways be green and golden
OC List (it will get longer)
Avornodhel (Literally: Fast deep elf) ~ Messenger elf from Mirkwood
e used for translations!
IceAngel: Thank you for bringing the review settings to my attention, I didn't know it was set on signed reviews only! Faramir will possibly be making an appearance, honestly I haven't planned that far ahead. Your welcome for the dedication you deserve it, I love your story! Sorry this took so long, but you know sometimes life just seems to get in the way! Hope to see you continue to review!
Leap of Fate: Oh now you are not a ditz, and be quiet you're a great author! I love your stuff, hence the dedication! Hope you'll keep reviewing even though I am really being a slow butt on the updates.
Lisseyelen aka Lady V: Huh I wonder why it did that to you, but yes that is what I meant! And of course there is going to be a lot of Legolas angst. How else do us Leggy fans get our kicks, granted the may be sadistic kicks. Anyway thanks for the review, hope to get more!
ClariceTook: Heh, I like your name. I am so glad you like my style, I am trying so hard to keep my own voice in this story and not steal anyone else's. Hope you keep your eye on this story!
Autumn: Sorry it took so long, I hope this chapter makes up for the wait!
Lil Loki Puck: Thank you. When I do a revision I will chop that paragraph up a bit. I like the fact you like my style it means a lot, And the ting about the elves, yah I didn't like that ending either, but this story takes place only a mere year after the last book, so technically most of the elves are still on Middle Earth. Because of all the evil thingys showing face in Mirkwood I imagine that would hold up their progress in leaving! Thank you for the input, I hop you liked this chapter and I kept your interest!
Sorry this took so long everyone! I hope you all enjoyed it, I hope to get the second chapter out sooner than this one, but again I will make no promises! Please review, they make me happy!